Science Of Drink

As you know there ara many kinds of cocktail – aperetive, digestive, all time drinks and over. Now I want to explore some interesting after dinner drinks – classic dessert coctails which groups to “Alexander’s family”. The main cocktail of this family is famous Alexander Cocktail. As Barry Popik suggest the Alexander Cocktail in its original version consist of gin, creme de cacao liqueur and fresh cream and id was created in early XX century by Troy Alexander barman of famous New York eatery Rector’s for fictional commercial character – Phoebe Snow. This cocktail was first mentioned in Recipes for Mixed Drinks by Hugo Enslin (1915).

I use recipe with equal proportions of ingredients.

Alexander (Александер)

25 ml gin
25 ml creme de cacao white
25 ml cream
1 bsp. simple syrup (optional)
Shake. Cocktail glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg (optional).

For my first Alexander Cocktail I use Befeater, BOLS Cacao white and cream with 20% fat. Really the BOLS liqueur is not a creme. It is insufficiently sweet. Thus in my second Alexander I add one bar-spoon of simple syrup for best results. The garnish I propose to omit in any case as it is contrary to story of Phoebe Snow.

The Alexander Cocktail is sweet and creamy concotion with smooth chicolate and botanicals palate. The gin is very good company to chocolate.

Next cocktail from this company is Brandy Alexander (or Alexander #2). It is Alexander Cocktail with brandy instead gin. This cocktail is more popular than origanal and these two libations are confuse often. The early mention of Brandy Alexander we can find in the Burke’s Complete Cocktail and Tastybite Recipes by Harman Burny Burke (1936). Some people say that creation of Brandy Alexander connected to wedding of Mary, Princess Royal and Countess of Harewood and Viscount Lascelles, in London, in 1922.

Brandy Alexander (Бренди Александер)

25 ml brandy
25 ml creme de cacao dark
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass. Garnish with grated nutmeg.

I use cognac instead brandy – Hennessy VSOP, BOLS Cacao brown liqueur and cream with 20% fat.

In this superb version it is admirable cocktail. It has mild creamy-fruity-chicolate taste. Excellent cocktail!

Also I try the Alexander’s sister Cocktail – it is Alexander with creme de menthe green instead creme de cacao white.

Alexander’s sister

25 ml gin
25 ml creme de menthe green
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass.

The Alexander’s sister is sweet and mint concotion. It is so palatable after dinner stuff. It is good substitution for after meal chewing-gum.

And finally I tasted the Alexandra (Special) Cocktail from The Artistry of Mixing Drinks by Frank Meier. Actually the Alexandra (Special) Cocktail is Alexander with brandy instead gin and Anisette (French sweet anise liqueur) instead creme de cacao. I use own equal proportion.

Alexandra (Special)

25 ml brandy
25 ml Anisette
25 ml cream
Shake. Cocktail glass.

Wow! It is amazing cocktail. It is very delicious. It has sweet, very smooth cocktail with anise palate and great hints of cognac. Excellent dessert cocktail.

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The cocktail that I want to explore today I like for a long time. The recipe of this cocktail was at my blog some times ago. Actually the American Beauty Cocktail is in my Special Reserve. This flowery and extraordinary cocktail is one of the best choices for novice – it is not so strong, have interesting sweet taste and it has great look. This drink is great thing to look at as well as to sip.

The story of American Beauty Cocktail is forgotten. It is known that name of this drink connected with popular sort of the garden rose. American Beauty roses was best-selling roses from 1888 to 1920. The creator of this drink is unknown. Supposedly this cocktail was first mentioned in first edition of The Savoy Cocktail Book by Harry Craddock.

My first American Beauty Cocktail I mixed with recipe was found at the CocktailDB. Now I taste this cocktail with authentic cognac and real Porto.

American Beauty

15 ml brandy
15 ml vermouth dry
15 ml fresh orange juice
15 ml grenadine
1 dash creme de menthe white
30 ml Port wine
Shake all ingredients except port with a lot of ice. Strain into cocktail glass and top with port wine.

The cognac in this cocktail is needless. The delicate flavor and taste of the cognac is invisible in this sweet and fruity drink. I prefer to use in this cocktail something powerful and complete brandy like young (about 5 years old) armenian brandy.

The American Beauty Cocktail in old proportions has sweet and fruity taste with little mint pleasure notes in the finish. The cocktail scent of port wine. With every sip you have both layer of the drink – the a luttle bit tart and sweet port and sweet and fruity mix – it is great feeling.

If you do not like so sweet old version you may taste the modern version of this rare cocktail. This recipe I found in the one of my favorite cocktail book – The Essential Cocktail by Dale DeGroff.

American Beauty Cocktail (DeGroff’s version)

20 ml brandy
20 ml vermouth dry
20 ml fresh orange juice
2 dashes grenadine
2 dashes simple syrup
1 dash of creme de menthe green
15 ml ruby port
Shake all ingredients except brandy in a ice-filled shaker. Strain into cocktail glass and float the port on top. Garnish with rose petal (organically grown or well washed).

Actually for old-style two layer look you must use a little bit more of grenadine. I use about teaspoonful of grenadine otherwise port wine do not make a separate layer.

This drink is perfectly balanced. It is not so sweet as old version. This cocktail has sweet taste with great brandy and vermouth palate with a hint of mint in the finish. It is admirable, amazing drink!

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This simple but so strange cocktail is unusual modification of Vodka Stinger Cocktail.

Green Dragon

30 ml vodka
30 ml green creme de menthe
15 ml Cointreau
Shake. Cocktail glass.

Admirable digestive cocktail with smooth and sweet mint taste. Light orangу notes in aftertaste is very pleasant and interesting.

Cocktails are a good thing, but, actually, they contains poison :) One of great problem of imbibing is an abuse of alcohol.

Classic cocktails for case of abuse of alcohol are “corpse rivivers” and “pick-me-up”. I try something thereof. First recipe of Corpse Revivver #1 Cocktail was found in Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Anthony Hogg. The author of this recipe is famous John Johnson from Savoy`s Amerivcan Bar. The cocktail was invented in 1948.

Corpse Reviver #1 (a)

30 ml brandy
30 ml Fernet-Branca
30 ml creme de menthe white
Shake. Cocktail glass.

It is wonderfull cocktail! Real remedy.

Another recipe of Corpse Reviver #1 was found on Cocktail DB. The author of this corpse reviver is Frank Meier, barman of parisian Ritz Hotel. The cocktail was invented in 1920s.

Corpse Reviver #1(b)

30 ml brandy
20 ml apple brandy
20 ml sweet vermouth
Stri well with ice. Cocktail glass.

This cocktail has very strong taste. It is not my choice.

The name of Pick-Me-Up Cocktail enamour me. This recipe was found in Cocktails and Mixed Drinks by Anthony Hogg.

Pick-Me-Up Cocktail

30 ml cognac
30 ml dry vermouth
30 ml pastis
Stir well with ice. Cocktail glass.

I shake this cocktail and use Ricard as pastis. The result is great! The Pick-Me-Up Cocktail is admirable cocktail. Another great remedy for crapulent.

Martini is no great cocktail only but vermouth. This cocktail is Grand Martini (& Rossi of course).

Grand Martini

1 dash Creme de menthe green
3 dashes kirsch
4 dashes apricot brandy
30 ml dry vermouth
30 ml sweet vermouth
30 ml dry gin
Shake. Cocktail glass.

Grand drink!